Archaeological Journal/Volume 2/Notice of the Meeting of the French Society for the Preservation of Historical Monuments
NOTICE OF THE MEETING OF THE FRENCH SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORICAL MONUMENTS,
Held at Lisle, June, 1845.
The following account of the Archæological transactions at the congrès of the French Society for the Preservation of Historical Monuments, held last June at Lisle, is partly from the local press and partly from notes taken by the writer. But as the programme of the questions for discussion was published by him in the Gentleman's Magazine for May last, and as in a future number of that useful repertory he may possibly give an account of the historical transactions at the congrès, and of some of the speeches at the banquet given to it by the citizens of Tournay, he need here only state that, as the Deputy of the Archæological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, he was on every occasion treated with especial honour and respect.
The meeting having taken place in the apartment destined for it—once the chapel of the palace of the Counts of Flanders—Monsieur de Caumont, as director of the Society, invited to the president's chair the Baron de Contencin, Prefet of the Department, and placed on the bench with him some of the other local authorities and distinguished foreigners there present, with such secretaries and committees as were necessary, and then pointing out the advantages and pleasure derivable from the "ré-union" of the learned men of distant provinces and kingdoms, concluded an eloquent address by presenting ten silver medals to be the rewards of such gentlemen as the Society should deem to have best carried out its several intentions.
The President then enumerated those monuments of antiquity in his "Department" which he considered as most remarkable, and announced the time of meeting of the Archæological section for each day. A list of the several Essays received was also stated, when the Baron de Roison was called on to produce his Essay on the question, "Whether the architectural styles of Flanders and its neighbouring provinces were borrowed from France or Germany;" and which was particularly interesting, on account of its frequent allusions to the edifices near the Rhine, and to the "Notes on German Churches," published by our learned countryman Dr. Whewell, some of whose dates, however, M. de Roisin had occasion to correct. A memoir was next read by M. Kesteloot of Brussels relative to some ancient frescoes lately found on the walls of a stone stair-case at Nieuport, and the Count de Merode described a fresco at Utrecht. The Baron de Reiffenberg then presented a fac-simile of the woodcut, dated xiv xviij, lately found at Mechlin, and under circumstances which, he said, precluded any suspicion of the authenticity of this interesting date. It represents the Virgin and Child accompanied with angels offering to them crowns, and with four females represented by emblems, the names St. Katherine, St. Barbara, St. Margaret, and St. Magdalen, being written underneath. All the figures are in a palisaded garden, except a solitary rabbit in the foreground, an animal existing also in the woodcut of St. Christopher, dated 1423, belonging to Lord Spencer, and which, previously to this discovery at Mechlin, was considered as the oldest specimen of wood-cutting extant.
In the Archæological section next day, with reference to some observations by M. Wilbert of Cambrai on M. de Roisin's Essay, its author said that, although the date of 1206 therein given to a Romanesque building might be erroneous, he would contend that the church of pointed architecture observed on was really of the date 1145; and also that to Germany, if not to Sicily, must be attributed the origin of the earliest pointed style—allowing however to France her claim to the invention of the style of the thirteenth century.
M. de Lambron of Tours having alluded to the utility of heraldry in ascertaining dates, was thereon solicited to publish whatever researches he had made on that subject. M. von Quast of Berlin presented some highly interesting drawings from a series of frescoes in the church at Halberstadt, In answer to the question on Celtic monuments, the Chevalier de la Basse-Moùturie mentioned a Druidical stone at Altlinster near Luxemburg, which he described as sculptured in relief, with two colossal human figures in long-sleeved garments; and also a paved road near Arlton of a period older than the Romans, and a Gaulish forge with large blocks near it of ferruginous scoriæ now covered with thick moss. M. de Caumont considered this sculpture merely the effect of atmospheric exposure; but M. Dusevel of Amiens thought otherwise, and stated that at Corbie Church in Britanny is a Celtic stone sculptured with a long human face of a peculiar saint-like expression, and begged to be informed whether at Brunswick there be not a similar example. On the question as to Roman roads, those in the duchy of Luxemburg were described as consisting of three different layers, each about one foot thick, and thus disposed: viz, 1st, a foundation of stone-blocks bonded together as well as their rude shape would allow, the intervals being filled with sand; 2nd, a bed of small broken stones covered with a thin bed of earth; and 3rd, a bed of hard concrete, composed of lime and gravel. The base being twenty-five feet broad, diminishing gradually upwards to the sin-face, a bed of gravel six feet broad. M. Dumortier on this observed, that the Roman road at Tournay is composed of large stones arranged herringbone-wise, and took occasion to suggest a further investigation of the Roman roads leading to Boulogne, with the hope of discovering the site of Nemetacum. M. Guillemin said that vestiges of Roman roads from Cassel to Arras and to Amiens still remain; that at Vongres the fragment of a military column had been lately found; and, imbedded in the vallum of a Roman camp at Avesnes, some hundred large-headed quadrangular spikes of iron nearly a foot long.
At the general meeting in the afternoon, M. Dumortier gave a long account of Tournay cathedral preparatory to the next day's intended visit. But this account was more commendable for its ingenious inferences than for the correctness of its dates, one of which, viz. the year 900, assigned to the nave because of a resemblance of its capitals to some in a crypt at Oxford stated to have been built by St. Grimbald of Tournay about that time. Dr. Bromet felt it necessary to impugn by informing the meeting that this statement was now considered apocryphal. But M. Dumortier still contended that this early date was corroborated by the accordance of the measurements of the nave with the Roman foot, whereas the transept was planned with the Byzantine foot, and the choir with the foot of Tournay. Of these and other opinions, however, there was so general a doubt that the President thought fit to suggest the propriety of not further discussing the subject until after the inspection of the morrow.
In the evening some of the Spanish edifices in Lille were visited, among which were the party-coloured brick gates of Gand and of Roubaix, both still retaining the armorial bearings of Castile.
The third day was occupied by the excursion to Tournay, but to this we can only allude in our subsequent account of the proceedings to which it gave rise.
On the fourth day, with reference to the question as to the absence of statuary on the façades of Flemish churches, a discussion took place concerning those equestrian figures so common on church fonts in Poitou. The Abbés Jourdain and Duval of Amiens considered them as representations of the "smiting of Heliodorus by the horse of the terrible rider;" and so did M. de Caumont, because of their being frequently accompanied with a human figure under the horse's "fore-feet." But M. de Lambron—alluding to the equestrian figures on seals, and to the absence of nimbi about the heads of these statutes—thought with M. de Clergé that they are portraits of the founders or patrons of the churches on which they appear. M. Didron, however, thought Christian art could not be explained by profane history, and he therefore looked upon them as figures of St. Martin and St. George, many being accompanied with a dragon. M. de Lessaulx of Coblenz then read a memoir illustrated with plans of several ancient churches in Germany, and of a mode of building vaults without centerings, referring to the Exchange at Lisle for examples of such construction. M. de Roisin gave an account, with drawings, of a large church lately built by the munificence of the Count von Fürstenberg near Remagen upon the Rhine; and the Count then presented a collection of casts made by Herr Lenhart of Cologne from some architectural ornaments in that neighbourhood, and which casts, according to the custom of the Society, were forthwith deposited in the museum of the town in which the congrès had taken place.
In the afternoon's sitting, M. de Godefroy gave an interesting vivâ voce account of a discussion in the Historical section relative to the locality where Julius Cæsar "overcame the Nervii," and which. Dr. Leglay stated, was on the Scheld between Bonavis and Vaucelles. The Secretary of the Archæological section also gave a narration of the preceding day's visit to Tournay; especially mentioning the examination of the cathedral and the churches of St. Piat, St. Quentin, and St, Jaques; as well as of the burial-place of King Childeric, and some domestic edifices of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries; and not forgetting the sumptuous banquet to which we have before alluded. M. M. Dumortier and Le maistre d'Anstaing, on behalf of the commission for the restoration of Tournay cathedral, then requested from the congrès an opinion as to the dates of its several parts, with a view of being guided by such opinion in the progress of their undertaking. Whereon M. Benvignat of Lille said, that he for one agreed with M. Dumortier, that the employment of the Roman foot in planning out the nave, denoted it to be more ancient than the introduction of Byzantine measurements. But the Abbé Jourdain, in an explanation of its sculptured portals and capitals, objected to any such inference, as well as M. Didron, who, moreover, said, that restorers had nothing to do with dates, for that all restorations should be restricted to consolidation, to cleansing and clearing away whitewash, &c.; recommending the use of stones and joints similar to the old ones, and especially deprecating all attempts to retouch paintings or such other decorations as time may have injured. The date of the pointed choir was, however, then considered; M. Dumortier, from some ancient chronicle, assigning to it the date of 1110, and thence asserting that the pointed style arose in Belgium. But this M. de Contencin and M. Benvignat much doubted, because of the slenderness of its pier-shafts; and M. de Roisin with many other gentlemen having again strenuously combated the opinions of M. Dumortier, a committee was eventually appointed for re-visiting the cathedral, and for reporting on the propriety of what had been already done, and as to what should further be accomplished.
On the fifth day, with reference to ancient pavements, M. Villers read a memoir on a pavement in Bayeux chapter-house, exhibiting one of those rare kind of mosaics which, from the arrangement of their materials, have been called labyrinths, and the threading of which was considered in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries as a penance equivalent to the Jerusalem pilgrimages then often enjoined. Whereon M. de Caumont observing that there is still a labyrinth near the west end of the cathedral at Chartres, and that another formerly existed at Amiens, presented a drawing of a brick mosaic from a mansion of the middle ages; and M. de Givenchy gave an account of certain incised slabs in the church of Notre Dame at St. Omer, with allusion to a detailed description of some of them by Dr. Bromet in the Archæologia, who informed the meeting that portions of others might still be found in the cathedral at Canterbury. There are also some, M. de Givenchy said, at Blarynghem near Therovanne, and at Lillers and Arras. On the question as to the form of medieval instruments of music, M. de Roisin spoke of the representation of a rote with seventeen strings; and Dr. Bromet stated that there are several stringed and wind instruments not only depicted but named in a manuscript Psalterium of the tenth century, once belonging to the abbey of St. Bertin at St. Omer. On the question as to the contents of neighbouring museums, M. Tailliar of Douai gave an account of two stone celts rudely sculptured with representations of the human face, an inscribed Roman glass vase, and a large antique cameo with three heads supposed to be portraits of the sons of Constantine; M. Dinaux spoke of thirty thousand coins of a period before the time of Constantine, found at Famars in some vases, with some moulds illustrating the Roman mode of coining, but which, it is worthy of remark, are not the matrices of the coins found. M. Guillemin enumerated the finding of four thousand two hundred coins in some extensive Roman buildings overwhelmed with sand at Etaples, a sea-port of Normandy supposed to have been called Quantovicus; and M. Bouthors referred to several bronze hatchets and in- struments of unknown use lately discovered at Amiens.
At the afternoon meeting, on a paper read by M. Rigolot of Amiens relative to ancient representations of the Virgin and other holy personages, M. Didron remarked, that we generally attribute too great an influence to pagan art over the art of Christian times; and instanced the frequent misapplication of the name of Orpheus to the figure playing on a lyre meant for King David. He also said, that ancient figures of the Virgin are not so uncommon as supposed, they being found on several Christian sarcophagi at Aries and at Marseilles; and terminated his interesting discourse by an account of Christian art and symbolism at different epochs of the middle ages.
On the sixth day, the Director drew attention to the hitherto neglected study of sacerdotal vestments, and of stuffs and tissues brought by crusaders from the East, and exhibited a chasuble from the church of St. Rambert near Lyon, and a long-sleeved jacket of Charles de Blois, the pattern of which is embroidered with octagonal compartments, alternately of lions and of eagles.
Dr. Bromet then, in the name of the Archæological Institute, proposed a series of questions as to the representations of armour on the medieval monuments of France, and especially as to any peculiar decorations on such as are attributed to Knights Templars and Crusaders, accompanying these questions by casts from English effigies in chain and in ring mail. To Which M. de Caumont, as Director of the French Society, politely acknowledging the honour thus done to it by their English brethren, regretted that for want of documentary evidence he could not then reply to their communication, but observed that in the Bayeux tapestry some of the figures were in ring mail, and others in a kind of armour composed apparently of metallic discs sewn to a leathern jacque.
The committee appointed on a previous day to consider on the falsification of ancient coins, reported that, in their opinion, the vendors of false coins for true were equally with vendors of other spurious matters, fully amenable to the 423rd article of the French Penal Code.
The congrès then repaired to the Concert Hall at the invitation of the Musical Society of Lille, to hear a symphony in honour of their visit, and of which the composer was subsequently rewarded with their medal.
On the seventh day, the President of the "Commission Historique" of the "Department du Nord," gave an account, with drawings, of a shrine (chasse) of the twelfth century at Maubeuge; a processional cross of the thirteenth century, now in a collection at Cambrai; and a "Dance of Death," on a chimney-piece at Chereng; whereon M. Quenson of St. Omer observed that there, in the cathedral, is a cross of the same style as that just described; and Dr. Bromet, after an inquiry as to what remarkable sepulchral monuments were in the neighbourhood, begged to point out the effigies of a knight and his lady, (unknown he believed to the commission,) which he considered remarkable for their heraldry, the female effigy bearing on her mantle the charges only, without the ordinaries, of her husband's arms. The President then spoke of certain Roman antiquities at Bavai in the possession of M. Crapez, whom he complimented on the benefit conferred on archæology by his catalogue of them: collections without explanatory catalogues being as it were in a second state of inhumation. M. Baralle submitted a design for enlarging the cathedral at Cambrai; and M. de Givenchy of St. Omer exhibited an interesting ground-plan of St. Bertin's abbey, proving that three several edifices had been erected on the same spot, and shewing by a different colouring of their plans how each succeeding substruction had been adapted to its predecessor.
M. Didron, as Secretary of the "Comité des Arts et Monuments," then proposed that the meeting should express its deep regret at the approaching demolition of the interesting palace in which they were assembled, and especially of its handsome staircase; whereon M. de Contencin, as Prefet of the Department, stated that this and every other portion of it worthy of archæological attention would be carefully reconstructed; M. Bianchi adding, that before blaming the town-council, gentlemen should learn what measures they had taken on the subject. Dr. Leglay said that a regret was not a blame; and M. Didron replied that the Society could not be expected to know what had passed in the town-council, citing several promises of reconstruction which had never been performed; and having just then heard that the Hospital-Comtesse was also to be sacrificed, he could not but say that such gloating Vandalism deserved something more than the expression of regret. Nothing however was done in this matter.
Dr. Leglay then read the analysis of a work by M. Cauvin, President of the "Institut des Provinces," on the ancient geography of the diocese of Le Mans; on which M. de Caumont took occasion to inform the meeting, that the objects of this new body were to give a uniform direction to the intellectual labours of departmental scientific associations, and to encourage works on art and antiquities, as well in the provinces as in Paris.
The Baron de Roisin then reported that, in the opinion of the committee for re-inspecting Tournai cathedral, the quatrefoils of the choir had been injudiciously pierced; that the paintings (which are of the twelfth century) should be preserved; that the portail, and the jube, and the transept altars, should remain; and that stucco should be placed on those parts only which undoubtedly had been originally covered with it. M. Dumortier then said that, although he had not been put on the committee above-named, he had accidentally been present at their re-inspection, and proved that he agreed with most of their opinions, by reading a remonstrance written long ago against any general use of stucco, as well as against the crude and brilliant colouring of the capitals and of the vaulting of the nave, and any wish to hide the fresco in the north transept. The congrès however declined to pronounce a formal judgment as to the merit of the work, and M. M. de Roisin and De Lassaulx requested that their opinions should be printed only as the opinions of private individuals.
At the general meeting on the eighth and last day, under the presidency of the Prefét, M. Dumortier exhibited a silver processional flambeau-holder lately found in the cathedral at Tournay. It is a hollow cylinder in two parts, each about four feet long, and covered with small armorial shields in relief; the upper part being terminated with the Tournay arms, viz. a tower and fleurs-de-lys. On its lower part is engraved the date of 1528; but M. Dumortier imagines that the upper part is as old as 1280; many of its arms appertaining, he said, to families then flourishing, but which had become extinct before 1528. Dr. Leglay, however, and the Viscount de Melun, thought that no part was older than 1528, and that the arms of its upper part were placed there merely in memory of the founders of the fraternity to which the instrument had belonged; and Dr. Bromet remarked on the improbability of the date of 1280 assigned to its Upper part, because several of the bearings thereon are quartered, a mode of blazoning not known (in England at least) before the middle of the fourteenth century. But M. de Lambron seemed to think that in France quartering may have been used as a "brisure familique" even in the thirteenth century.
M. Kuhlmann of Lille then communicated a mode of hardening soft calcareous stone, which was considered so easily applicable to its purpose, and so likely to be useful in the preservation, not only of delicate sculpture, but also of the surfaces of buildings liable to atmospherical deterioration, that he was requested to furnish an account of his process sufficiently detailed for publication in the Volume of Transactions. A memoir was afterwards presented, explanatory of certain verses in a language not hitherto translateable, which having been referred to the Committee for deciding as to the propriety of publishing it; the Director begged to observe on the long approved expediency of such a measure on any papers sent to the Society containing only portions, and others nothing, fit for publication. He then exhibited a plan and estimate for erecting a memorial of the battle at Bouvines, in the vicinity, which was adopted with the proviso that the date of the battle should be the only inscription on it. The Secretary General announced the names of those to whom medals had been decreed, and a committee was appointed to superintend the printing of the Historical portion of their transactions, (according to a bye-law of the Society,) in their place of annual meeting. The President then thanked the several foreigners who had so kindly assisted at the congrès, and hoping that the seeds sown by it would have due effect in the surrounding districts, closed the sittings by announcing that the next year's general meeting would take place at Metz and Trèves.